Chilmark Board of Selectmen September 26, 2017 Meeting Minutes
Present: Chairman Bill Rossi, Jim Malkin and Warren Doty, Tim Carroll,
Police Chief Jonathan Klarèn, Pam Bunker, Peter Cook, Molly Doyle & daughter,
Rich Saltzberg and MVTV videographer.
At 5:01 PM Chairman Rossi called meeting to order in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
Minutes: Draft minutes from the Selectmen’s Executive Session Meeting held August 3, 2017 were reviewed, Mr. Malkin moved to approve as written and release into regular session. Mr. Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes 1 Abstain
Mr. Doty was not present at 8/3/17 meeting
September 12, 2017 draft meeting minutes were tabled till next meeting.
Field Funds Inc. & Chilmark School Field proposal:
Mr. Malkin thanked Ms. Doyle and the Fields Fund Inc. for this generous offer and moved to approve this plan to improve our playing fields. Mr. Doty seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Human Resources Board (HRB) Update:
Mr. Malkin spoke to this in his capacity of Selectmen liaison to the HRB. The HRB has;
- Reconfirmed previous recommendation to adopt a new pay scale.
- Voted to recommend that the Police Chief and Executive Secretary be given contracts.
- Voted to leave employees on their current steps when new pay scale is adopted.
- Reviewing position descriptions and conducting Grading exercises of: Accountant, Tax Collector, Town Clerk, Superintendent of Streets, Sergeant, Patrolman, Library Asst Director, & Executive Secretary but not the~Administrative Assistant /Inspector for Board of Health.
Mr. Malkin said there will be a HRB meeting tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM 9/27/17 and he has some concerns with these proposals that he will address with the HRB tomorrow at their meeting. Mr. Malkin said this process is still in the works. Mr. Doty said he has affirmed that the Selectmen will have a Special Town Meeting warrant article for financing the employee salary changes (increases) retroactive to July 1, 2017.
Mr. Malkin said his concerns are based around the positions being regraded rather than just placing the employee on the appropriate pay in the new scale.
USACE Dredging Update:
Mr. Malkin (as Harbor liaison) said equipment has been moved from Long Island to Menemsha Pond. They (the dredging company) have talked with the Harbormaster and Tim Carroll about staging areas and parking. The Harbormaster has no issues with where things are and how things are proceeding. Chairman Rossi said that it seems as though this is a very professional outfit. Mr. Carroll said the parking needs for the dredge company are about 4 to 6 parking places on the West Dock. Selectmen approved allowing the parking on West Dock for the dredging company. The start to dredging is slated for October 1, 2017.
Discussion turned to the sand in the Menemsha parking lot; Mr. Carroll said the Highway Superintendent (Keith Emin) met with Chairman Rossi the other day and have a plan with John Keene Excavation to move this back onto Menemsha Beach Friday.
Harbor update - electrical survey, new channel dock and dredging/piles:
Mr. Carroll distributed the report sent from Cole Powers office moments ago. Selectmen Malkin said he has found this to be problematic getting the recommendations from Cole Powers. Mr. Malkin said he cannot speak to this report as none of us have seen it until this moment. Chairman Rossi tabled discussion about this information till the next scheduled Selectmen’s meeting.
Mr. Malkin said there is a Harbor Advisory Committee (HAC) Meeting scheduled for this Friday at 8:00 AM. Discussion at the HAC will be: issues with the Channel Dock, issues with pilings, issues of construction on Commercial Dock; electricity, water and this (recommendation report) from Cole Powers office will figure into discussion as well. Mr. Malkin said we (harbormaster and he) are working on a maintenance plan for the next few years and prioritizing what will be done first. The plan is to have a plan that has been vetted by the HAC that we can present to the FinCom and Selectmen.
Mr. Carroll said about the Chanel Dock; he spoke with John Packer who said he is willing to go forward with the project and is working with Kent Healy and Bill Austin (engineers) to try and replace the pilings with steel eyebeams. Mr. Doty said if we want to have projects funded for this next summer season we need to appropriate these funds at a Special Town Meeting this fall rather than April Annual Town Meeting. Mr. Doty said especially the electrical repairs and updates we need for the harbor.
Mr. Malkin said the harbor will be discussing dredging in the harbor and transient dock and possibly up towards the Galley.
FY2019 Budget Hearings & 2018 ATM Draft Schedules:
Selectmen approved the schedule.
MIIA (Insurance) Loss Prevention Grant Opportunity:
Mr. Carroll said there was a recommendation for the Harbor to apply for electrical current testing equipment. MIIA will be here in the next two weeks for site visit and to discuss our policy and what we might need. The loss prevention specialist will be coming with our insurance manager this visit and will review the harbor area and any other facilities that are interested. Mr. Carroll said we can apply for $10,000.00 grant.
Chilmark Community Center (CCC) / Chilmark Town Affairs Council (TAC) Tennis Update:
Mr. Carroll said as of today the TAC has liability insurance for the tennis program shoulder season. Mr. Carroll said he expects something in writing from them concerning their contract with the tennis program. Chairman Rossi (liaison on CCC Committee) said he expects to have a draft MOU between the Selectmen and the TAC for the Selectmen to review by the end of October 2017. Mr. Carroll said the Chilmark School Principal asked what the town’s agreement is with the TAC concerning the use of the Chilmark School because the school needed to get a professional cleaning done after the summer preschool session. Principal said they do not have the budget to do that anymore. Chairman Rossi said that this be part of the MOU.
Public Safety Building Site:
Mr. Carroll said he has reached out to Dennis Ross the designer we contacted to plan a site and has asked for him to work again with Chilmark. Mr. Carroll said we will have him work with our current site and also our current site with additional space and thirdly elimination of the Ambulance Department from the site. Mr. Doty said he thinks Mr. Ross is the right person for this job. Mr. Doty said he spoke with Emily Bramhall and is arranging an informal meeting to discuss the restrictions and possibilities for the existing North Road Fire Station Property. Mr. Doty will return with information from this discussion.
Solar Grant for Middle Line Road Affordable Housing Units - Vendor Site Visit:
Mr. Carroll said he met with the vender today with Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative. The hope is that we can get a larger solar array for the site to offset electrical costs working together with Cape Light Compact.
Fire Training Area & Fishermen's Storage lots - site meeting Update:
Mr. Carroll said he met with John Keene and Vineyard Land Surveying (Reid Silva) today at the site off Middle Line Road (MLR) behind the landfill. Mr. Keene recommended rather than using the MLR access to the property to make an access road from the landfill area. One potential problem with that plan is the telephone poles the solar people put into the area of the proposed road. Mr. Keene told Mr. Carroll that the access road building is being donated by his company (Keene Excavation). Discussion of materials and access and permits took place. Mr. Doty recommended reviewing in a meeting with the neighbors of this project.
Mr. Carroll said Reid will draw a plan give to John who will draw it up then we will submit to DEP for permitting process.
Chilmark Affordable Housing Committee Request:
Selectmen received a written request from the Housing committee;
Six Homesites at Middle Line Road and four Homesites and Nab’s Corner are now completed and occupied. Now is the time to appraise these ten homes to set their value. The Housing Committee recommends appropriating funds to hire an appraiser. Once the appraisal is complete it is recommended these Homesites undergo a $1 Second Mortgage application. This process is intended to protect the town’s interest in the parcels remaining affordable. A $1 second mortgage is a safeguard against a homeowner’s refinance outside of the affordability restriction.
Mr. Carroll recommended using funds from the Molly Flender Housing Trust to hire an appraiser. Chairman Rossi said the committee (Molly Flender Housing Trust) will be meeting soon on another matter and will also discuss this proposal.
Mr. Rossi said at this time the $1.00 second mortgage will have to be a volunteer situation as it was not in our original agreement. But the value appraisal will need to be done. Chairman Rossi (liaison for Housing Committee) said this will be policy for future projects but for the Nabs corner property we (Housing Committee) are asking for the homeowners to do this proposal.
Ms. Bunker (Assistant Assessor for Chilmark) asked if the second mortgage for $1.00 that the Affordable Housing Committee is asking for would hinder them (homeowner) from being able to refinance at a lower rate. Chairman Rossi said it would mean that they would need to come to us first, with the amount of refinance.
Martha’s Vineyard Commission -Trail Easement:
The Selectmen’s office has received the trail easement management proposal from Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank (MVLB). Chairman Rossi recommended that MVLB managing this trail easement would be a fine idea. Mr. Carroll said we will contact David Damroth acknowledge the easement with our intentions to have it be managed by the MVLB.
Kayak Racks at Boat landing:
Mr. Malkin said this topic will be discussed at the Harbor Advisory Meeting and recommendations from the board will be submitted to the Selectmen.
School Funding Formula:
Mr. Carroll said West Tisbury has sent a request asking for Chilmark to engage in the discussion of school formula. Mr. Carroll said you asked me to request them to send us a proposal for discussion, West Tisbury said they did and our response was we don’t like this proposal and requested an alternative proposal. We have now received a one sentence proposal asking for the three town Selectmen to meet to talk about where we can go from here. Chairman Rossi said we are absolutely willing to talk. What we were sent was not a real proposal that the West Tisbury Selectmen endorsed.
Mr. Carroll was asked to set up a meeting with the three town Boards of Selectmen and the Superintendent of Schools.
Mr. Doty asked if we were (Selectmen) set for the time table for the Special Town Meeting being November 13th. Mr. Carroll said the 13th or the 27th. Chairman Rossi and Mr. Malkin said the 27th would be a better date as long as that works for Town Moderator and Town Counsel. Selectmen will place the Special Town Meeting on the 27th of November 2017.
At 5:48 with no further items for discussion Mr. Doty moved to adjourn. Mr. Malkin seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Approved 10/17/17
Document List:
- Executive Session minutes August 3, 2017
- Field Fund Inc. mission statement
- Support letter from Chilmark School Principal Stevens for the Field Fund proposal
- Email correspondence from Board of Health about the Field Fund proposal
- Draft budget hearing schedule and preparation for Annual Town Meeting schedule
- MIIA insurance FY18 grant application for loss prevention
- Chilmark Housing recommendation concerning appraising Nabs Corner housing and asking for second mortgages on the affordable housing units
- MV Land Bank Trail Easement standard form
- Zoning Board of Appeals June decisions
- Request from T. Ash for kayak storage at town landing
- Employee Assistance Program FY18 MIIA rewards training list for employees
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